Adjustable grinder

ABSTRACT

An adjustable grinder, includes a container, a stator, a rotor, a drum, and a rotary slide. The container can hold a product to be ground. The stator is positioned on the container. The rotor is positioned opposite to the stator and can rotate with respect to the stator. The drum is positioned around the rotor. The rotary slide includes a pointer that can be adjusted such that a distance between the stator and the rotor increases or decreases.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.13/117,646 filed May 27, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,586 and is aContinuation of U.S. Ser. No. 12/144,177 filed Jun. 23, 2008, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,967,229 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to FrenchApplication No. 07 04497, filed on Jun. 22, 2007, and claims priority toU.S. Provisional Application No. 61/036,116, filed on Mar. 13, 2008. Theentire contents of each of these documents is incorporated by referenceherein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an adjustable grinder for grindinggrain-like condiments, such as pepper, salt, and berries, contained in areservoir to which there is fitted a grinding device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional grinding devices are composed of a stator and a rotor, atleast one of which is provided with teeth to form a jaw.

In such a device, the rotor is driven rotationally by way of a drumforming the body of the device, fixed on the neck of the reservoir butable to rotate freely. In contrast, the stator is immobilized withrespect to rotation relative thereto.

Mills for grinding condiments of this type are provided with means foradjusting the ground product, acting on the jaw spacing formed by therotor and the stator by varying the axial position of the rotor relativeto the stator. These latter components represent frustoconical bodies ofrevolution, albeit having different conicities, in such a way that thedisplacement of one relative to the other causes the spacing andconsequently the adjustment to vary.

For example, known systems make this adjustment of the rotor relative tothe stator by way of a screw system. However, in this case it is oftennot possible to provide marks for positioning the stator relative to therotor, and so it is often not possible to identify the grindingfineness, which is selected according to taste and can vary from oneconsumer to another.

To remedy this shortcoming, different systems have already been proposedin order to achieve an adjustment of the ground product in graduations,such as described in International Patent Application No. WO2004/037057, by making the rotor integral with an annulus furnished withpins intended to be positioned in openings of the body, the openingsbeing furnished with notches corresponding to different sizes of theground product.

Also according to this embodiment, the openings are inclined in such away that the rotational movement of the annulus induces an axialtranslational movement of the rotor, modifying the distance between itand the stator that is complementary to it.

However, such a device typically does not permit continuous adjustmentof the ground product because the rotor is integral with the adjustingelement, which must be locked in the body to form the rotor of the mill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One example of the invention provides an adjustable grinder for grindinggrain-like condiments that includes a reservoir, a drum, a rotor, astator, and a rotary element. The adjustable grinder typically containsmultiple settings and each setting corresponds to a different grain sizeof the ground condiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendantadvantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of anadjustable grinder;

FIG. 2 depicts an exploded perspective view of the adjustable grindershown in FIG. 1 from underneath;

FIG. 3 depicts an exploded perspective view of the adjustable grindershown in FIG. 1 from above;

FIG. 4 depicts an axial sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of astator;

FIG. 5 depicts an axial sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of arotor;

FIG. 6 depicts an axial sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of arotary drive member of the rotor;

FIG. 7 depicts an axial sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of anadjusting slide;

FIG. 8 depicts a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a cover;

FIG. 9 depicts a front view of an exemplary embodiment of an adjustablegrinder;

FIG. 10 depicts a top view of the exemplary adjustable grinder accordingto FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 depicts a view in axial section according to line XI-XI of FIG.10;

FIG. 12 depicts a view in axial section according to line XII-XII ofFIG. 10;

FIG. 13 depicts a view in axial section according to line XIII-XIII ofFIG. 9;

FIG. 14 depicts a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a rotor;

FIG. 15 depicts a view of an exemplary embodiment of a rotary slide;

FIG. 16 depicts a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a rotor; and

FIG. 17 depicts a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a rotor anda drum.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenienceonly and is not limiting. The words “above,” “below,” “lower,” and“upper” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made.The terminology includes the words noted above as well as derivativesthereof and words of similar import.

An adjustable grinder can contain grain-like condiments, such as pepper,salt, and berries, in a container. As shown in FIGS. 1-9, an adjustablegrinder can include a grinding device, such as a stator 3, which can befitted on a container, such as a reservoir 2. A rotor 4 can be providedopposite to the stator 3. The rotor 4 has at least one row of teeth 31(see FIG. 14) on the surface facing the stator 3 that can grind theproduct contained in the adjustable grinder 1. Additionally, the rotor 4has a plurality of fingers 33 (see FIG. 14) that can distribute aproduct to the teeth 31. As shown in FIG. 14, the fingers 33 may behelicoidal to help direct the product to the teeth. Alternatively, asshown in FIG. 16, the fingers 33 a may be relatively straight such thata curvature of the fingers 33 a matches the curvature of the teeth 31and 32. Utilizing the relatively straight fingers 33 a shown in FIG. 16helps prevent the product to be ground from becoming trapped between thefingers 33 a and the rotor 4, such that the rotor 4 is not preventedfrom rotating.

The rotor 4 is driven rotationally by way of a drum 5 forming a part ofthe body of the adjustable grinder 1. The drum 5 is fixed on a neck 6 ofthe reservoir 2, but is able to rotate freely. In contrast, the stator 3is blocked so that it cannot freely rotate around the neck 6 of thereservoir 2.

By varying the axial position of the rotor 4 relative to the stator 3,the grain size of the ground product can be adjusted as discussed below.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the drum 5 includes at least one inclinedsurface 8 formed on an internal peripheral collar 9. As shown in FIG. 7,at least one follower element 10 is integrated with a rotary slide 11housed within the drum 5. The rotary slide 11 can rotate relative to thedrum 5. Additionally, the rotary slide 11 can contact the inclinedsurface 8 of the drum 5. As can be seen in FIGS. 5, 7, and 11, therotary slide 11 has a flat lower face 12 on which the rotor 4 is freelybraced such that the rotor 4 can be axially displaced. The rotary slide11 also includes at least one pointer 13. Positioning of the pointer 13can be obtained by continuous variable adjustment as a function of thedesired fineness of the ground product.

The follower element 10 of the rotary slide 11 can include a pluralityof catches which cooperate with the inclined surface 8 of the collar 9.The catches extend axially from the lower face 12 of the rotary slide11. The catches can snap elastically from above onto the collar 9, andconsequently onto the inclined surface 8 made on the lower face of thecollar 9, in order to follow the inclined surface 8 during rotarymovement of the rotary slide 11. The rotary movement of the rotary slide11 down the inclined surface 8 corresponds to an adjustment of thespacing between the rotor 4 and the stator 3. Additionally, the followerelement 10 can include a protruding section that can fit within arecessed section in the drum 5 to help hold the rotary slide 11 in placewith respect to the drum 5. For example, the protruding section of thefollower element 10 can fit within a recessed section when the pointer13 points to each one of the visual marks 15, 16, 17 discussed below.Thus, a user can feel when a pointer 13 is pointing to each one of thevisual marks 15, 16, 17.

In one exemplary embodiment, to achieve balance in the rotary movementduring an adjustment, four catches of the follower element 10 andcorresponding inclined surfaces 8 are provided and are distributedregularly over the periphery of their respective supports. In addition,the slide 11 is provided with at least one pointer 13 that serves as aposition indicator and is formed by a bent-over flap of its upperperipheral rim. The at least one pointer 13 straddles the peripheral rimof a corresponding cut-out opening 14 made in the upper part of theperipheral wall of the drum 5 and whose lateral rims limit theadjustment travel. By adjusting the at least one pointer, a user cancontrol a size of the ground product.

In one exemplary embodiment, the slide 11 is provided with twodiametrically opposite pointers 13, capable of cooperating with twocorresponding openings 14 of the drum 5 in such a way that theyadditionally form balanced manual control elements.

The peripheral wall of the drum 5 can be provided with visual marks 15,16, 17 for the position of pointer(s) 13. Each of the visual marks 15,16, 17 corresponds to predetermined sizes of the ground product. In analternative exemplary embodiment, the at least one pointer 13 can extendfurther in an axial direction to cover at least part of the visual marks15, 16, 17. Additionally, the at least one pointer 13 can have a ribbedtexture to allow a user to easily slide the at least one pointer.

In one exemplary embodiment, the visual marks 15, 16, 17 are formed bythree circular holes of different diameters, made in the wall of thedrum 5. The three circular holes have different diameters, and eachdiameter corresponds to a particular grinding fineness. For example,when the pointer 13 points to the smallest diameter hole, the finestgrain will be produced.

As discussed above, the rotor 4 typically has at least one row of teethon the surface facing the stator 3. In the exemplary rotor 4 shown inFIG. 14, the rotor 4 has a first row of teeth 31 and a second row ofteeth 32. The first row of teeth 31 can contact the product to be groundto achieve grinding when the pointer 13 points to the visual markcorresponding to any of the predetermined sizes. However, the second rowof teeth 32 can only contact the product to be ground to achievegrinding when the pointer points to the visual mark corresponding to thefinest predetermined size. Thus, the second row of teeth 32 are not usedfor grinding when the pointer points to the visual mark corresponding tothe medium and coarse predetermined sizes. Accordingly, the exemplaryadjustable grinder 1 can produce the ground product in accurate sizeseven when the requested size is small.

In addition, the peripheral wall of the drum 5 can include acousticindicators 18 to indicate the position of pointer(s) 13. The indicators18 are preferably formed by fingers made on the inside face of theperipheral wall of the drum 5, and produce a click in conjunction with araised flexible tongue 19 formed on the outside peripheral wall of theslide 11. The acoustic indicators 18 preferably produce an audible clickwhen one of the pointers 13 is adjusted to each of the visual marks 15,16, 17 to indicate that a certain grain fineness will be produced.

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17, the drum 5 caninclude at least one finger 18 a positioned thereon in place of theindicators 18. The finger 18 a can extend radially inward from the drum5. The finger 18 a can have a small width such that it is bendable.Additionally, as shown in FIG. 15, the rotary slide 11 can include aplurality of tabs 19 a protruding therefrom and positioned between thefollower elements 10. When the slide 11 is rotated by movement of thepointer 13, the tabs 19 a contact the finger 18 a such that an audiblesound is produced when the finger 18 a is released from one of the tabs19 a. Thus, when the pointer 13 is adjusted to one of the visual marks15, 16, and 17, an audible sound is produced by the finger 18 a and thetabs 19 a. The tabs 19 a can have predetermined widths to allow thefinger 18 a to be released therefrom, and thus produce a sound, at aposition corresponding to when the pointer 13 overlaps one of the visualmarks 15, 16, and 17.

Additionally, in the alternative embodiment depicted in FIG. 17, thedrum 5 can include a plurality of indentations 34 spaced around thecollar 9. When the pointer 13 overlaps one of the visual marks 15, 16,and 17, each of the protrusions 10 a (see FIG. 15) on a face of thefollower elements 10 fits within one of the indentations 34.Accordingly, when the protrusions 10 a are positioned within one of theindentations 34, the rotary slide 11 can be held in place at the settingcorresponding to the desired predetermined size of the ground product.

As can be seen particularly well in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 11, the rotor 4is provided with a series of radial tabs 20 extending to an outerperiphery of a bushing 21 of the rotor 4. The tabs 20 can become trappedbetween axial ribs 22 formed on the inside wall of the drum 5 to preventthe rotor 4 from rotating during grinding. The radial tabs 20 can fitfreely between the ribs 22 of the body 5, preferably with some rotaryplay.

The bushing 21 of the rotor 4 is continuously braced against the lowerface 12 of the slide 11, in order to follow the upward and downwardaxial displacement of the slide 11 continuously as a function of theadjustment to be obtained. To continuously brace the rotor 4 against thelower face 12 of the slide 11, the rotor 4 is provided with a series offlexible tabs 23 that extend radially from the bushing 21. The flexibletabs 23 can alternate with the radial tabs 20. The flexible tabs 23 canbe elastically deformed in an axial direction by contact against theupper face of a collar 24 of the stator 3. Thus, the flexible tabs 23keep the rotor 4 in continuous contact with the slide 11, regardless ofits position relative to the inclined surfaces 8 of the drum 5.Additionally, the flexible tabs keep the teeth 31 of the rotor 4separated from the stator 3.

The stator 3 can be kept in place on the neck 6 of the reservoir 2, asdiscussed below. A first internal peripheral bead 25 can be positionedon the drum 5, close to the ribs 22. A collar 24 of the stator 3 canengage with the bead 25 so as to position the stator 3 within the drum5. A second internal peripheral bead 26, made at a distance from thefirst bead 25, is located close to the lower end of the drum 5. The drum5 is configured to be attached to the reservoir 2 by elasticallydeforming a distance so as to allow a peripheral shoulder 27 of thereservoir 2 to fit within the second bead 26. The second bead 26 islocated at a distance such that the peripheral shoulder 27 reaches thesecond bead 26 at the instant at which the collar 24 of the stator 3becomes braced on the neck 6 of the reservoir 2. Thus, the stator 3 andthe drum 5 can be positioned axially with the reservoir 2 unit duringassembly.

Therefore, the stator 3 and the drum 5 can be delivered as apreassembled grinder unit, ready to be disposed on the neck 6 of thereservoir 2.

In addition, as seen in FIG. 4, the stator 3 can include peripheral tabs28 extending axially from the lower face of its collar 24. Theperipheral tabs 28 are configured to become trapped between bosses 29formed on the external periphery of the neck 6 of the reservoir 2,permitting the stator 3 to become immobilized with respect to rotationduring grinding.

A gap is preferably provided between the tabs 28 of the stator 3 and thebosses 29 of the reservoir 2 to obtain an angular clearance to permiteasy assembly on an automatic assembly line, without preliminary angularpositioning of the stator 3 relative to the reservoir 2.

The adjustable grinder 1 can include a cap 30, as shown in FIG. 8,configured to be positioned on the drum 5. The cap 30 can include acontinuous ring on a bottom portion thereof that corresponds to areceiving area in the drum 5 such that the cap 30 can be removablyattached to the drum 5. Alternatively, the bottom portion of the cap 30can be extended and the cap 30 may include a plurality of individualsections spaced around the cap 30 such that the cap 30 can be removablyattached to the drum 5.

In an exemplary embodiment, all of the constituent parts of the devicedescribed above can be obtained by injection molding of a plasticmaterial.

An exemplary order of assembly for the adjustable grinder 1 shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 will now be described. The drum 5 is disposed verticallyand the slide 11 is engaged from above by positioning the pointers 13 inopenings 14 of the drum 5. An axial thrust is exerted from top to bottomto permit the catches of follower element 10 on the slide 11 to snaparound the inclined surfaces 8 of the drum 5.

Next, the rotor 4 is positioned inside the drum from below such that thecollar 21 of the rotor 4 contacts the bottom of the collar 12 of theslide 11. Additionally, the radial tabs 20 of the rotor 4 become trappedbetween the ribs 22 of the drum 5.

The stator 3 is then introduced into the drum 5 from below such that itscollar 24 snaps around bead 25 of the drum 5 to form the preassembledunit for being installed on the neck 6 of the reservoir 2. Thepreassembled elements constitute a ready-to-assemble subassembly.

The preassembled unit is then fixed onto the neck 6 of the reservoir 2by snapping the bead 26 of the drum 5 onto the peripheral shoulder 27 ofthe reservoir 2. A cap 30 is then mounted on the drum.

In an alternative exemplary embodiment, a follower element of the rotaryslide 11 could include at least one inclined surface that forms a ring.The at least one inclined surface of the rotary slide 11 could contactthe at least one inclined surface 8 formed on the lower face of thecollar 9 of the drum 5. Thus, the lower face of the inclined surface ofthe slide 11 would be in permanent contact with the rotor 4 such that arotary movement of the slide 11 causes a variation of the spacing of therotor 4 relative to the stator 3. The inclined surface of the slide 11could be divided into four separate inclined surfaces to correspond tofour inclined surfaces on the collar 9. Further, the slide 11 can beassembled from below the drum 5.

FIG. 9 shows an external view of a fully assembled adjustable grinder 1.Additionally, FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 shown sectional views, taken alongthe lines shown in FIG. 10, of a fully assembled adjustable grinder 1.

Numerous modifications of the above-described exemplary embodiments arealso understood to be within the scope of the present invention. Forexample, an alternative number of grind sizes, such as 2 or 4, could beachieved by the adjustable grinder. Additionally, the visual marks couldhave a different shape, or could be numbers or letters, to indicate therespective grind sizes.

Thus, the foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplaryembodiments of the present invention. As will be understood by thoseskilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essentialcharacteristics thereof. Accordingly, the disclosure of the presentinvention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting of the scopeof the invention, as well as other claims. The disclosure, including anyreadily discernible variants of the teachings herein, define, in part,the scope of the foregoing claim terminology such that no inventivesubject matter is dedicated to the public.

1. An adjustable grinder, comprising: a drum including an inclinedsurface on an interior face of the drum; a cap positioned on the drum, astator positioned within the drum; a rotor positioned opposite to thestator within the drum and configured to rotate with respect to thestator; and a rotary slide including a pointer and a follower, thefollower being in contact with the inclined surface of the drum and,when the pointer is adjusted, the follower of the rotary slide is slidalong the inclined surface such that a distance between the stator andthe rotor increases or decreases, wherein the pointer of the rotaryslide extends between the cap and the drum.
 2. The adjustable grinderaccording to claim 1, wherein the drum includes acoustic indicators andthe rotary slide includes a flexible tongue, and when the pointer isadjusted, the acoustic indicators contact the flexible tongue to producean audible click to indicate a position of pointer.